Rich’s Proper Food & Drink opened its doors to the public on Nov. 10, 2018. The bar operates out of the more than 100-year-old building formerly occupied by Rich’s Gruen Watches, a high-end jewelry store. Owner/operator of the eatery, Bill Whitlow, spent considerable time and effort to restore the building, helping to expose its history. The bar’s menu includes wine, beer, cocktails and spirits, with a special emphasis placed on bourbon. The kitchen provides food with a twist on Southern fare with Creole and Kentucky influences. Located at the corner of Madison Avenue and Seventh Street in Covington, the original neon sign for Rich’s Gruen Watches will be restored and a special event (time TBD) for the lighting of the sign will serve as fanfare for the grand opening.
Photos by Hailey Bollinger
The bar inside of Rich’s Proper Food & Drink Hailey Bollinger
The jumbo-sized Proper Mule is a sharable cocktail Hailey Bollinger
Rich’s Proper offers a wide range of bourbons Hailey Bollinger
Exterior of the bar. The original neon sign is being restored and will be hung in the coming weeks. Hailey Bollinger
Bluegrass Embargo cocktail: Old Forester Signature, Bénédictine, Havana & Hide bitters, crude orange and fig bitters, scorched maple, orange peel zest Hailey Bollinger
Bill Whitlow, operator of Rich’s Proper Food & Drink Hailey Bollinger
There’s A Lot cocktail: cold brew coffee, Bombay Sapphire gin, Green Chartreuse, Woodford spiced cherry bitters, Woodford chocolate bitters, Aguafaba, orgeat, grenadine, scorched maple Hailey Bollinger
Hailey Bollinger
The Proper Mule Hailey Bollinger
Hailey Bollinger
Lounge space in the dining room Hailey Bollinger
Garnishes that will be used with the cocktails Hailey Bollinger
Hailey Bollinger
More of the liquor selection Hailey Bollinger